The College Football Playoff has approved immediate changes to its format for the 12-team model ahead of the 2025 season, and in doing so created a better tournament for the fall while also setting a standard for the ongoing negotiations around 2026 and beyond.

After months of meeting to discuss things to discuss at future meetings, the people in charge of the College Football Playoff actually made a decision on Thursday, and it was one we've assumed they'd make for a while. After last year's 12-team CFP gave byes to the four most highly ranked conference champions, this year's will not.

But the five tough home games are, at a minimum, winnable ones — LSU, Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Mizzou. Will the Sooners compete for the SEC? No. But it’s not unrealistic to see them batting 5-3 against the core of their schedule,